By: ADAM SMITH
AS the Tassie Mariners prepare for their first national under-18 championship match this weekend, coach Andrew Mellor is confident he has finally assembled his strongest side.
Key defender Tom Collier returns from the VFL to captain the side, bolstering a line-up which includes fellow Devils youngsters Aaron Joseph and Aaron Cornelius.
The Mariners have struggled in their early-season games, something Mellor puts down to rotating a number of players and finding the right mix.
But as the team heads to Sydney for Saturday's game against Queensland, a final squad of 25 has been settled on, with the aim
to win two of the three games.
The championships are in a different format this year, with one game this weekend and two more (against NSW/ACT and the Northern Territory) to be played in early July.
``We've gone through the preliminary games and are now getting to the pointy end and I'm really happy with the squad,'' Mellor said yesterday.
``Early on we were trying a few players out and we suffered some heavy defeats but ever since our second game there has been steady improvement.
``I've now got a group used to playing with one another.''
While Collier and Joseph are sure to attract the attention of scouts, Mellor said Launceston ruckman Tom Bellchambers, Lauderdale's Matt Tringrove and Wynyard's Zane Murphy had all been in fine touch and a good showing at the nationals could see them feature on AFL draft day.
Under 18 squad
Cameron Milne, Matthew Tringrove, Tom Collier (Captain)
Lauderdale FC.
Bryce O'Garey, Aaron Joseph, Jaye Bowden, Aaron Cornelius
Glenorchy FC.
Adrian Williams, Rahim Rohizat, Sam Peacock
Nth Hobart FC.
Jackson O'Brien
Clarence FC.
Trent Nichols
Hobart FC
Tom Bellchambers, Kieran McShane
Launceston FC.
Tom Salter, Alex Grima, Ben Webb, Nick Johnston
Northern Bombers FC.
Brentyn Milverton
Latrobe FC
Zane Murphy
Wynyard FC
Tyson Mihocek, Jacob Hislop
Burnie FC.
Emerg: Sam Reeves
Hobart FC
Jack Hewitt
Launceston FC
Sam Cornish, Matt Dillon
Glenorchy FC
Joe Arnold
Nth Hobart FC
Callan Dell
East Devonport FC
Last Modified on 21/06/2007 16:50